Sliding scooter



March 7, 1939. Q H, WALGREN 2,150,087

' SLIDING SCOOTER Filed June 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ma'lfch 7, 1939. o. H. wALGRl-:N 2,150,087

' ySLIDING SCOOTER Y Filed June 6, 1938 2 Sheets-She@I 2 Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE -1 Claim.

This invention relates lgenerally to la Ysliding scooter of that type of `'foot-propelled runnersupported vehicle adapted to support v-one foot of a person while being propelled along'by the engagement of the other foot with the 'ice or lsnow surface being traveled over.

My invention more particularly relates to the provision of such a Vsliding scooter that is -of `simple and strong construction and readily steered and capable of great 'speed Vwithrelatively little effort.

Various vother objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the-following particular description of embodimentsof myinvention.

The various features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention arepointed out with particularity in the claim annexed hereto-and forming a part of this specification, but for a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages and speciiic objects obtained with its use, reference should be had to the' accompanying drawings and descriptive matter Ain which I have illustrated anddescribed the best forms of lmy invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View oi one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View on line 3--'3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front end view'of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a. modied form of my invention.

Fig, 6 is a side elevation of the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional View on line 'I-'I of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a rear end View of the modied form of the invention shown in Fig. 5.

In the form of they invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a main steering and supporting runner I is positioned between two balancing side runners II and i2. Gf these three runners, all of which are preferably made of spring steel, the main runner It is of such a length that its forward end I3 extends an appreciable dis-tance beyond the forward ends Iii and I respectively of the side runners I I and I2, while its rearward end I6 extends an even greater distance tothe rear of the rear ends I'I and I8 respectively of such side runners II and I2. This relatively long main runner I0 facilitates steering, not .only

surfaces lstrap portions :or members 29 ands@ are bent, :at apoint above the rivetl, to extend outwardlly atsubstantially right angles to the steering dueto its material of readily-flexible spring steel and to its manner of one-point vertical `support with respect to the frame, as `hereinafter described, making it possible. to bend the same into the ypositions shown in. dotted lines in Fig. 1, V5 but also due to the fact that the surface-engaging under-side face IS of `theumain runnertprojects, as shown at 2l), .slightlybelow the correspondingunderside faces 2l and 222, respectively,

of the side runners II andl, thus reducing fricl0 tion by reason of the side runnersin their normal position during operation of the device, befing slightly elevated abovev the surface being traveled over.

To the main runner II] is secured, as by brackets 2.3, afoot;.plate.24 which maybe 'covered by a rubber or other suitable mat on which a personrests one footsin use of the. device, such mat, being securelyattachedxby four vsplit rivets v25=,attheco1^ners of. the f-.ootiplate crin any other 20 .desirable manner.

:ward Y ends, .as atr2'Iy and 28 respectively, the .side

runners II .and .I2are curved upwardly.

:In the form ofthe invention shown inFigs. 1 30 tocainclusive, the mainframe vcomprises .a pair of metal .strap 4members''l and illwhich are :secured together, as by rivet or other suitable yfastening-means A3l, for Apart `of their length to forma steering postLZfand which-at the bottom lofsuchvpost diverge-outwardly as at to extend horizontally: to4 forma cross bar 3ft, before being bent downwardly, as at r351, to form legs 355 and 3.1 for supportingvthe side runners II and i2 respectively the desired. distance apart. V'Io the .40

-lower end 38 ofsuch `leg 35 is secured, Aas by rivet'l38v or. by welding or otherwise, .a relatively shortfstrap meinberfand such .two connected members. 38 .andi SSJare spread.- apart to .embrace the web of'zthe side runner il andare pivotally 45 secured thereto throughthe. medium of pivot pin 40, In a similar manner the other legl is piv- ,oted, as at M, totheother :side runner I2, thus vrendering the side runners andthe deviceas a .wholebetter yadapted fortraveling .over bumpy The upperfends of such steering post post to form ears `t2 andf43 for attaching therev155 to, by rivets or other suitable fastening means 44, a handle 45 which may be of wood, such as hickory, or any other suitable material, and of Y separated sufficiently to receive therebetween, se-

Vcured by rivets 45 or by welding or otherwise, the

Y 'upper end 46 of a central strapy brace 41 that eX- upward tilt, as shown at 51.

tothe main steering runner I0.

tral runner I0 forms the principal runner for tends downwardly a suiicient distance to connect with and support the main runner at a level slightly below the side runners, as previously mentioned. The main runner l 0 is embraced by, and rigidly secured as by a rivet 48'between, the lower end of such brace Maand a relatively short strap member 3S rigidly secured as by rivet 48 or by welding or'otherwise to Vsuch lower end. Thus the frame is supported vertically from an intermediate point of the main runner I6 solely by the connection 48, and is held in such upright position by braces 49 and 50.

Secured as at 5l to the curved end 26 of the main runner and diverging rearwardly and up-V wardly therefrom are these pipe or other braces 49 and 5U, the rearward ends of which are secured, as at 52 and53 respectively, to the cross bar 34. A seat 54 has itsrear end secured to the cross bar 34 byvmeans of bolts 55 or in any other suitable manner, and has its forward end supported on a block V56 which is in turn supported by the braces 49 and 50,/so .as to provide a seat of proper dimensions and Ypreferably with a slight In'the operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, a person placesa Steering is accomplished by turning the steering post by means offthe handle 45, and thus, through the cross bar 34 and braces 49 and 50, the front end of the flexible spring steel main runner l0r is sprung to produce a turning move- Y ment to one sideor the other, and in such turning movement the siderunners Il and I2 also,

participate by reason of their being supported by the frame cross bar through which the turning Vmovement is transmitted from the Yhandle Since the censupporting and steering the device, it is shown much longer than the side runners which are for Vbalancing the device'and thus preferably are relatively short. It is to be noted that the simultaneous Ymovement and hence continual aline' Aexamples'of the relative positions (during a turning movement of the device to either side of a straight line direction) of the rear portion of the main steering runner with respect to the front portion of such main steering runner, the

side runners, cross bar, steering post, handle, etc. However, it is to be understood that greater or Vless flexing for greater or less turning movement,

and to Veitherone `side or the other, is possibleV than that illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, andV it is pointed out that in actual practice it is' possible to ex the main spring steel runner l0 so as to make it even assume a half-circle. Contributing to the extreme flexibility, in addition to the spring steel material of the main runner, is the fact that such main runner is not connected with the frame at any point between the vertical brace point 48 and the horizontal brace connection 5l with the extreme curved end of the main runner. By this construction substantially the entire forward and rear portions of the main runner are free to be bent in response to the handle turning movement, and the point 48 is Where the main runner bends in the steering movement.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, the reference numeral I0' identifies the main runner and the reference numerals Il and I2' identify the side runners, corresponding to such parts inthe form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, and these runners in this modified form are of the same material, shape and relative dimensions as in the rst form hereinbefore described. Also in this modified form, a similar foot plate 24 is attached to the main runner by similar brackets 23 as in the Vhorizontal handle portion 60 intermediate theV upstanding leg vportions 6| and 62. If desired a hand grip of wrapper manila rope or other suitable material, as at 63may be applied to the handle 60. The legs 6l and 62 are shown asbeing substantially parallel and spaced apart Vany vdistance desired between the side runners, which are mounted on the lower ends of such legs 6| and 62. As shown, the lower end of such tubular leg 6| is split into two portions, which areY bent to form two divergingbrace members4 64 and 65, and the lower end of each of these two brace members 64 and 65 is in turn split and spread Y apart to form attaching feet 66 and 61 to Vem'- brace the web of the sideV runner supported thereby and thus each of the two side runners is rigidly secured to the tubular frame member by means of the double-split end of one of the legY members 6l and 62.V

Rigidly secured as by rivet-or other Vfastening means 68 to the web of the main runner l0 areV the strap braces 69 and 10 which diverge Vupwardly to be secured asby rivets 'Il to the legs 6I and l62. In the drawings these strap braces are shown as being formed of a single piece bent into U-shape with thehorizontal or cross arm portion 'l2 acting as a brace between the legs'l and 62, and the free ends of such integral piecesecured to the main runner at 68 and diverging upwardly to be secured to the legs, as :above eX- plained. Secured as atv13 the curved forward end of the main runner Il) Yand diverging rearwardly and "upwardly therefrom are thepipe or tubular or other braces 14, the opposite ends of which are secured, as at 15, to the legs 6I and 62. A seat 16 has its rear end supported and secured to the cross'arm 'I2 and its forward end supported on a block 'll which is in turn supported on the braces 14. The seat is hinged at 18 and provides a utility compartment 1S. Secured` to the braces 14 near their connection with the forward curved end of the main runner is a foot rest for the convenience of a person riding as a passenger on the seat '16.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs.

5, 6, '7 and 8, the steering is accomplished by turning the steering post Vlegs 6l Vand 62 byV means of the handle 60, and through the braces 14, the front end I 3' of the main exible steel runner I is turned and carries with it the side runners Il' and I2' by reason of their being supported by the legs 6I and 62 through Which the turning movement is transmitted from the handle 60 to the main steering runner I0'.

In Figure there are shown, in dotted lines, examples of the relative positions (during a turning movement of the device to either side of a straight line direction) of the rear portion of the main steering runner with respect to the front portion of such main steering runner, the side runners, steering post, handle, etc.

Similarly as described in the form of the invention shown in Figs. l to 4 inclusive, the main runner in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive is capable of a wide range of flexing by reason both of its spring steel material and also of its one-point connection at 68 with the frame Where the main runner bends in the steering movement.

Thus it will be seen that I have devised, in the forms of my invention above set forth, an extremely eicient device for the purpose intended, of relatively few parts, light in Weight, quickly responsive to steering movement and capable ed U-shape, providing vertical legs and a horizontal handle portion, relatively short spring steel side runners at opposite sides of said frame, a relatively long spring steel main supporting and steering runner intermediate said side runners and extending an appreciable distance both forward and rearward of said side runners, the lower end of each of said legs being split upwardly and bent to form two diverging brace members, each of said brace members being split and spread apart forming attaching feet embracing the web of a side runner and means for supporting said main runner comprising a brace member rigidly secured to said main runner and diverging upwardly and outwardly and secured to said leg members.

OLOF HELMER WALGREN. 

